Lopi AGP - fire in ashpan

[LuvMyStove]

Our 2-year old Lopi AGP recently developed a new habit - a fire in the ashpan. This isn't a small fire - it's as big as the platform flame.

If I understand it correctly, the pellets should fall down onto the burning platform, burn to ash and then the ash gets pushed over the edge into the pan. In our case, the pellets are being pushed into the ashpan before they've fully burned. The ashpan fire seemed to accelerate when we started to burn the stove on high (it's been brutally cold for a week). Because we've had the stove dialed all the way up, we also had the air intake pushed all the way in (which means it's getting the maximum amount of air).

We called our technician and he suggested cleaning out the ashpan and then running the stove at 3/4s. If it keeps happening he said the motherboard will probably need to be replaced. I've gone even more conservative and am running it on 1/2. Not good when we're trying to heat 2 floors and it's -5 outside. Has anybody else had this experience? Thanks.

 

[Mt Bob]

Do not know your unit,but sounds like stove or flue is dirty,and partially restricted.There are some smart people here,that know your stove,they will check in.

 

[heat seeker]

It sounds like you’re not getting enough combustion air to burn the pellets . How is your flame? Is it as lively as before?

 

[LuvMyStove]

Do not know your unit,but sounds like stove or flue is dirty,and partially restricted.There are some smart people here,that know your stove,they will check in.

I don't think the stove pipe is plugged, but outside it does have a hood that I've always kept tilted at about 45 degrees. Last week, the wind was blowing into it so for a change I turned it so the open side was facing toward the ground. Would that cause any type of constriction?

 

[LuvMyStove]

It sounds like you’re not getting enough combustion air to burn the pellets . How is your flame? Is it as lively as before?

The flame has been lively. The only changes we made during the past week (when the problem started) is that I turned down the hood on the stovepipe so it faced the ground (it's usually pitched 45 degrees) and we started running the stove on the highest setting because the cold has been brutal. I understand your thinking, but we had the air intake wide open and the stove's fan setting on automatic (which coordinates the fan speed and pellet feed). Maybe that's why the tech person mentioned the mother board?

 

[heat seeker]

I would start by suspecting the last changes made before the problem started. Perhaps when you moved the hood some soot fell and is partially blocking the vent? Try turning the hood back?

 

[scottcohen]

Interesting, we have a similar problem lately. The burn platform keeps overflowing and getting pushed forward (sometimes bending the ashpan) and then it sometimes fails, sometimes fire lights and fails and lights the pellets in the ashpan. when i pull it apart completely and clean it - works for a few lights then fails. Running it on high. Anyone any ideas? Thanks!

 

[Ssyko]

The ashpan fire seemed to accelerate when we started to burn the stove on high (it's been brutally cold for a week). Because we've had the stove dialed all the way up, we also had the air intake pushed all the way in (which means it's getting the maximum amount of air).

I don’ know the stove very well and the manual has no reference to and air control rod. But ive never seen a stove where you push the rod IN to open the damper. Have you tried pulling it out?

 

[LoriL]

I don’ know the stove very well and the manual has no reference to and air control rod. But ive never seen a stove where you push the rod IN to open the damper. Have you tried pulling it out?

 

[LoriL]

We had some confusion with our Foxfire because the manual says that you push the restrictor rod in for more air and pull it out for Less air. But using it, it seems the exact opposite, you push it in to restrict air and pull it out for more air. I called the distributor where we purchased the stove and there were a repair person did not have a clue.

 

[LoriL]

Interesting, we have a similar problem lately. The burn platform keeps overflowing and getting pushed forward (sometimes bending the ashpan) and then it sometimes fails, sometimes fire lights and fails and lights the pellets in the ashpan. when i pull it apart completely and clean it - works for a few lights then fails. Running it on high. Anyone any ideas? Thanks!

We are struggling with this with our newly installed stove. We've only been using it for about a month and it was professionally installed. If we try to use the thermostat with the number one program, when it goes into the shutdown mode when it comes up to temperature in the house, it ends up feeling the burn pot with pellets and clogging it up so that it will not reignite. And then it pushes the pellets into the ash pan. As long as I leave the stove at a single heat setting it will burn consistently but if the thermostat does any adjustment to the Heat and kicks it up and then cools down, it ends up overfilling the burn pot and throwing an error message. I will be following posts as we are very frustrated with these turns of events. I clean it religiously once a week and sometimes have to do it more when it throws pellets into the ash pan because I do not want to have another ignition down there.

 

[Mgross]

I have a similar issue. The burn platform fills with pellets but doesn’t ignite. The stove shuts down and throws a flashing green and red fault. I reset by unplugging or sometime just hit the stop button and it resets. I clear the burn platform and restart for a second time. The burn platform loads to capacity with pellets but typically starts on the second attempt. I clean the stove every week. Is it not getting enough combustion air? Is there a gasket leak that’s allowing too much air? Is it a metering issue that’s pushing too many pellets on to the burn platform too quickly. Once the pellets ignite the stove operates fine. OrginalLy I had it on a thermostat and it worked awesome for 3 years. I’ve had a tech out at least 5 time with no luck. They clean it push start and say see it works. The next day it doesn’t.

 

[JRemington]

I’d check and be sure the igniter isn’t getting weak. Also, are they fresh pellets?